Hand traffic signal



Sept. 14 1926.

A. A. RETZE HAND TRAFFIC SIGNAL 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 12 ffy Sept. 14 ,11926. 1,600,067

A. A. RETzE HAND TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed June 12, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 i l 7 l 2%- 5'-,

ZNVN TOE for use b rPatented Sept. 14, 1926.

ADAM A. RETZE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

HAND TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

Appnuon mea June 12, 1925. seran 1ro. 36,564.

vMy invention relates to new and useful 1 improvements in a. hand traflic signal, and has for its rimary object lto provide 'a simple and e ective device 4of this character trafic or other policemen which will enable them to give signals without the use of an enclosed light producing means.

Another object of this invention is` to 4provide a unique method and means for changing the positions of the signal elements or semaphores.

A still further object of my invention is to so arrange the semaphore operating mechanism that when one signal element is removed from the opening in the casing another signal element is disposed there across.

A still further object of my invention is to construct a signal device for connection with the ordinary flashlight.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set 'forth and then claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawln s forming a part of this application, 1n which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one ofthe' signal casing sections showingvv all of the internal mechanism. o

Fig. 2 is a section of the complete slgnal at approximately the line 2 2 with the internal parts in elevation.

Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the separators or guides.

Fig 4 is a plan view of one of the-push pms.

Fig. 5 is an end view of one of the shding frames which constitutes a semaphore signal. l

Fig. 6 is a face view-thereof.

Fig. 7 is an edge view of a modified form of my invention showing a portion of a flashli ht to illustrate the connection therewith.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the signal device and a portion of the flashlight.

Fig. 10 is a face or end view thereof with the cap removed.

' carrying out -my invention as embodied in lFi s. 1 lto 6 inclusive, 10 and 11 represent t e two similar sections Q f the Signal specifically designated by the of Fig. 1, b

casin which when 'oined together provide a hol ow body 12 and a hollow handle 13 the chambers thereof being in communication and said casing sections are held together by suitable fastening devices such as screws, one of which is shown at 14, andv inthe region of the body lugs 15 are provided to accommodate the fastening devices. In each of thel sections of the casing andvmore particularly in the the upper end thereof, isformed Va slght opening 16 so as to align with each other for the casing.

At each'side of the casing within the same is located a channel separator or 'guide 17,

Fig. 3, one of which may be fastened to one of the casing sections other casing section by such as screws. The separators being of less width than the interior of the casing body provide guideways 19 between the said separators body.

The ends of the semaphores 20 and 21 are slidably mounted in said guideways so as to be readily moved into or out of registration with the sight openings and each of these semaphores comprises two frame-members 22 and 23 with a transparent or translucent light coloring mediumj24 disposed therebetween and held in place by equivalent. be a sheet of colored icelluloid or glass and where the latter isused' the rivets 25 'must e passed through the frame members beyond the edges of the glass. The frame members of each semaphore are and th other to the edges to hold a rivet 27, or its equivalent for .the connection of a straight lever therewith.

The semaphore 20 has one end of a straight lever 28 slidably or variably connected there-1' body portion, preferably at passage of light rays through the fastening devices 18 fianges of i and the side walls of the" opposite end of said provided l with lugs 26 depending from vthelr lower straight `lever is pivoted at 30 to one end of l the casin- Th ofa stralght lever 128 slidably or variably connected thereto through the medium ofthe with the rivet 27 on said slot 129 registering semaphore while the opposite end of said straight lever is pivoted as at 130 to the casing at the endopposite the pivot'pointof the lever 28. n'termediate the ends of each of the straight levers is -pivoted onel 'end of e semaphore 21 has one end 165' titl body members or `is pivoted to the upper outer end of the longer arm of the bel crank lever 32 while the shorter arm projects into the casing handle where the lower end sets in one of the notches in one of the push pins 33, said inner end of the bell crank lever having a slot 34 for registration with a rivet 35 or its equivalent carried by the push pin thereby variably connecting the shorter arm of the bell crank lever with the push pin. In

another notch in the push pin is located one end of a spring holding link 36 also having 'a slot 37 therein for registration with the rivet to variably connect the upper end of the spring holding link with the-push pin while the lower end of said link is pivoted on a stud pin 38 and around the spring holding link is coiled a spring 39 having one end resting against the push pin and the other end Aenclosing the stud pin to hold the parts in certain adjusted positions without the likelihood o accidental displacement after the 'spring holding link and the short arm of the be l crank lever have been moved out o vertical or endwise alignment.

lt is to be particularly noted that the bell crank lever of one semaphore is posi tioned in the opposite direction to that of the other semaphore so that the simultaneous movement o both push pins in one direction will cause one semaphore to be raised as the other is lowered thereby disposing one ot the sema hores across the sight openings as the ot er is removed therefrom and it one of the semapliores is provided with a red or other danger indicating medium and the other semaphore provided with green or other clear indicating medium these signals may be readily and quickly given to traiiic by the ocer holding the signal device in front of a light producing means or between such light producing means and the traic signalled. For instance during the daytime it will be possible for the oiiicer to use the rays ot the sun or giving the signals while at night a street light could be used for the same purpose.

lfn klligs. 7 to l0 inclusive, l have shown a slightly modified form of my invention' wherein l() represents a casing provided with means such as clips di for removable attachment to an ordinary hand flashlight l2 provided vvith an electric light bulb d3 receivingits source of current supply from the usual storage battery, and a reflector dfi. The signal casing is formed primarily from two sections d5 and 46 each having a sight opening 47 therethrough and one of these, as the opening in the member v 416, may have a transparent medium 48, such as a s eet ot clear glass or celluloid, disposed across it.

v4'Within the signal casing is disposed a semaphore t9 preferably formed of relatively thin sheet metal and having two holes 50, 51 therethrough for registration with the sight openings 47 and to bring either of these holes into registration with the sight openings the semaphoreis pivoted at one end to 4a short shaft 52 journalled inone of the casing sections adjacent its edge said shaft being rotated by a handle 53 .on the outer end 'thereof within easy access of linger or thumb of the operator. The semaphore carries two light coloring mediums 54 and 55, one of which, for instance, may be red and the other green, and these light coloring mediums may be sheets of Celluloid or glass. Said light coloring mediums are disposed across the holes 50, 51 in the semaphore and are held in place by anges turned up from the body of the semaphore. The semaphore is also provided with a lip 56 to which is fastened one end of the spring 57 while the opposite end of said spring is fastened to a staple 58 or its equivalent carried by a portion of the casing and so disposed that the distance between the ends et the spring is greatest when in a vertical position thereby causing the semaphore to be held on either side of its vertical center.

When an oliicer desires to give a signal with a device such as last described the handle 53 is moved to one side or the other so as to bring one of the holes 50, 5l. into registration with the sight openings 47 and lthen by lighting the flashlight bulb in the ordinary manner the light rays will be projected through the light coloring medium disposed across the particular hole in the semaphore which is in registration with the sight openings thereby giving the desired signal.

@i course l do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction as herein shown as these may be varied within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim as new and useful is l. A hand traiic signal comprising a casing having sight openings therein, semapliores slidably mounted in the casing,land manually actuated mechanism including aligne-d push pins which when moved` the saine direction will cause one semaphore to be disposed across the .sight openings 'and the other moved away from said sight open ings. y

2. A signal comprising a hollow casing including two similar sections fastened together and constituting a body and handle, said body having sight openings in its side walls at its upper end to permit the passage of light rays through the casing and leaving solid portions below said sight openings, separators at the ends of the casing to torni guideways with the casing walls, semaphores s lidably mounted in said gudeways, straight levers pivoted to the sema hores and to 01pody, beyond t e of each project- 5 ing in opposite directions and the other arm-s projecting into the casing handle, oted to the straight levers and the links pivoppositel projecting arms of the bell crank levers, pus

pms connected in al 10 portion to which the ignment by e reduced other arms of the bell j will crank levers are pivoted whereby a .movement of the push pins in the same direction move one semaphore across the sight openings and .the other away therefrom, and means tending to hold the semaphores in either adjusted position.

In testimony whereof, I,have hereunto axed my signature.

ADAM A. RETZE. 

